IMO. If you want to start simple but still get a great sound. I would go with a walnut lid. Then, you can experiment with a lot of different woods for the boxes. I love box calls. A large number of my favorites have a walnut lid paired with other woods such as walnut, cedar, poplar, butternut, black limba, mahogany, chestnut, etc.... Once you you get comfortable, you can branch out and find other combinations. I have watched Steve Mann build calls and he will often go through 6-10 lids before he finds the right match for that call. Sometimes, he will simply replace one walnut lid with another and the magic happens. Purpleheart and Bloodwood are another 2 of my favorites. One man's humble opinion. Best of luck.
